Pretoria: ‘The rule of law is not dead’. With that message of defiant hope, Advocate Shamila Batohi took her final bow as National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) on Friday. Batohi retires from the NPA after seven years at the helm of the prosecutorial body.
According to South African Government News Agency, Batohi expressed genuine hope as she departed. ‘Despite everything, I leave this office genuinely hopeful. We have rebuilt an institution that was once almost written off. I have seen what South Africans can achieve when we stop arguing on who’s to blame and start focusing on what must be done. The rule of law in South Africa is not dead. It is worth fighting [for] and worth defending. If we back this next NDPP [Advocate Andy Mothibi], fix systemic weaknesses, strengthen partnerships with integrity and refuse to surrender to cynicism, we can absolutely turn the tide against corruption and organised crime,’ Batohi said at her final media briefing.
Reflecting on her time in office, Batohi recalled entering the Victoria and Griffiths Mxenge building during a period of ‘profound institutional decay, erosion of public trust and a deeply compromised criminal justice system’. She noted the challenges faced in rebuilding the NPA while addressing the public’s demand for accountability and justice. ‘The work is not yet complete. But you may, as people of South Africa, be rest assured that a solid foundation has been built for a stronger, more effective NPA. We have shifted from a phase of stabilisation.to one of consolidation with increasing signs of institutional resilience and operation impact,’ she said.
Batohi highlighted several achievements during her tenure, noting that the prosecutorial body had moved from meeting 50% of its targets in 2020/21 to reaching 94% in the current year. Other accomplishments include the establishment of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), recovery of R6.3 billion from criminal proceeds by the NPA’s Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), the conviction of at least 380 people for complex corruption-related crimes in the 2024/25 financial year, and the development of an organised crime strategy.
She also addressed the frustration felt by South Africans regarding the slow pace of justice. ‘Despite important progress in various areas, South Africans are understandably frustrated by the slow pace of complex corruption cases and the lack of orange overalls for the most egregious offenders. This frustration is real. I understand, I feel it [and] the NPA understands it. But here’s the reality: globally complex corruption and organised crime prosecutions take years. They require intelligence, documents from multiple jurisdictions that must meet admissibility requirements, skilled investigators, forensic analysis and importantly, a justice system that can withstand relentless delay tactics. Delays do not mean inaction. They mean that the work is difficult, intricate and if we get it right, it must be solid to withstand any appeal,’ she emphasised.
In her parting remarks, Batohi acknowledged some ‘unfinished business’ for the NPA leadership but assured the public of a stronger NPA on the path of renewal and accountability. She expressed confidence in the newly appointed NDPP, Advocate Mothibi, and prepared a comprehensive handover report to ensure continued progress. ‘In South Africa, we are in a very difficult position as far as crime is concerned. Communities are scared, businesses are fatigued and citizens are tired of waiting for justice. But the most dangerous thing we could do right now is to lose hope,’ Batohi concluded.